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A Slice of Summer

Ahhhh Summer Fare. There are so many good, fresh, healthy foods out there this time of year. It is my favorite time for munching and crunching!

Fresh, healthy foods are an investment in your health as well as your wallet. Before we dive into some of my favorite recipes I want to share just a couple of money saving tips for your eating pleasure:

The Garden, my passion, on so many fronts. It embodies good health, good stewardship, and good eats! According to USAA: "A National Gardening Association study found that families with gardens spent an average of $70 on supplies and reaped $600 of food a year." Grow Money in Your Backyard That is a wonderful investment! (Want to read more thoughts on the benefits of gardening? The Many Benefits of a Garden)

When foods are in season that you regularly cook with, take green peppers or onions as an example, buy them in bulk when they are on sale. Chop them up and store them in serving size quantities. During the winter months you can pull them out and cook with them as desired.

Do you have a favorite summer recipe? Leave a link to it as a comment! What makes it a favorite? This a great opportunity to share it on your own blog and then link to it here! I'd love to try something new, add a new recipe to my repertoire.

Here are some of our favorite Summer Fare here from MilitaryAvenue:

Smells, Sights and Tastes of Summer Potato Salad - I am a sucker for Heinen's Potato Salad! But purchasing it from the deli can be quite a strain on the family grocery-budget. So I had a mission... make it myself. And I think I did it. It may not be "Heinen's Signature Recipe" but it is mine now and I love it.

Garden Goodness: Layered Broccoli Salad - I found a great recipe for broccoli salad. Cold and crisp and perfect for summer's festivities. It serves 6, so it is not colossal. I don't think anyone wants a quart of leftovers in the refrigerator anyway! This salad is served in a trifle bowl or any pretty glass container.

Cold Summer Grape Salad - Seedless green and purple grapes cold from the refrigerator have a way of bursting a summer gush of refreshment right there in your mouth! This simple, delicious healthy salad is perfect for a dinner side dish. I make a lot, as this dish seems to call for just one more spoonful.. just one more and more and so on. Continue on to Recipe

Sun Tea - Sun Tea! My favorite drink. It is sunny skies, warm weather and the sounds of summer wrapped up and packaged in a glass jar. A few years ago I perfected my family's favorite version of sun-tea and I thought I'd share it with you.: Continue to Recipe

Dress Me Up Salsa Pico De Gallo - Salsa is a staple at our house, and has been for years. Tell me... WHO can live without tortilla chips and salsa? Or quesadillas with salsa? The occasional late night nachos with salsa? You get the picture. I used to have a truck load pumped into the house... back 'er up and fill the tank. Well, not really, but if felt like that. I would wipe out a whole shelf in the commissary each time I went. So, naturally after canning a gazillion tomatoes the light bulb went off as to how to use these red beauties and the first thought: Salsa. Continue to Recipe

Now is your chance. What is your favorite summer recipe? Share it with us! By the way, if you are looking for more recipes be sure to browse our huge inventory of tested and true recipes here on "Our Letters to You" - Recipes.